A DATE has been set for the currant-crazy spectacle that sees councillors shower residents with buns.

Abingdon’s bun throwing event, the historic tradition that celebrates important royal occasions, will take over the Market Place on June 11.

And the event’s growing popularity has prompted organisers to review crowd safety for the event, which will mark the Queen’s 90th birthday.

At a meeting last month, town councillor Mike Badcock – who organises the bun throwing – raised concerns it was attracting too many people from outside the town.

Steve Rich, assistant town clerk at Abingdon Town Council, said: “It isn’t so much as a worry, but a question of making sure there is enough room for everybody.

“This year we are looking at traffic management more than we’ve done before. It’s all about crowd safety.”

Mr Rich added: “It’s a fantastic event, it really is. The atmosphere is charged.”

Hordes of residents and visitors will gather to watch town councillors hurl 6,000 buns from the roof of the old County Hall in the Market Place.

Abingdon has marked major royal occasions with bun throwing ever since the 1761 coronation of King George III.

The last event was in 2012, celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Alice Badcock will be the town’s mayor by the time the event happens, meaning she will get to throw the first bun.

She said: “ It’s absolute carnage, it’s brilliant. We start the procession in our gowns and finery then everyone sings the national anthem. Then we climb to the top and they start chanting ‘we want buns’.

“If you’ve lived in the town it’s always what you want to do. It’s a privilege .”

Abingdon Vale Cricket Club will host a bun-throwing competition for the second time, on May 30, to see who can lob their bun farthest. Winners who live in the town will get to join town councillors on June 11.